I have often been asked what drew me to bluegrass and Southern gospel music when I could have went so many different directions with my musical talents. I could say it was the way that the instruments and voices work together to achieve a synthesis of sound and texture that simply elates my senses. Once I get beyond the excitement I attach to the music itself, the people actually made these genres more than just music for me but established for me a way life.
It was the camaraderie of the musicians and singers that gave me the encouragement to keep trying and growing with every jam session. Beyond the music, the people helped me be the person that I am today. It is not unusual to develop family bonds with fellow musicians and band members on the road. However, in these styles of music those bonds often carry over to the nice folks who regularly attend the concerts and festivals.
I often said that I was blessed with great parents, but through music I had numerous other people who took me into their homes and families and treated me as if I was their son. Clara and the late Earl Register of Columbus, Ga., are those kind of people. I knew no matter where I was, if they were there, if there was something I needed – a place to stay, advice, a meal or just a helping hand – all I needed to do was ask. Dottie and Bryant “Woody” Wood of Silver Springs, Fla., are another couple that is like parents to me. Their daughters often joke with me about there being more pictures of me in their house than there are of them.
There are many that through the years have become an extended part of my family. One couple that played a vital role in my life was the late Dan and Betty Needham. I recall that Dan and Betty were originally from the Midwest. Dan was a quiet, hard-working man through the week, but on the weekends the couple went from bluegrass festival to bluegrass festival selling hats, belt buckles, silver jewelry and leather items, among other things. As we traveled the same way with our musical wares, the friendship we created became an ever-present sense of strength.
I see Dan standing under the blue tarp that covered their wares. He raises the hammer and pounds it on the silver letter imprint “R” as he places my name in a leather belt. Betty, a jovial person, helps me select a bronze fiddle belt buckle that complements the belt that Dan is completing. Dan’s no-nonsense approach to life gave me insights into getting things done with less talk. Both of them were strong in character and dedicated to what they believed in. Because of those beliefs, we thought we could make a real difference in the world of bluegrass by improving communication and getting promoters and acts to work together better. From our efforts, the Southeastern Bluegrass Association was born and continues thriving today.
I remember Betty as we took the time to create a special belt buckle as a gift for Bill Monroe. She knew how important that was to me. Monroe wore that buckle for years. He proudly wore it in Ricky Skaggs’ “Country Boy” music video. As he danced, that buckle just shined. As I traveled from show to show, so many times they welcomed me into their motor home to spend the night. I would wake up to the smell of Betty frying bacon and eggs. Many people became so accustomed to seeing me with them, many assumed they were my parents, and Betty lovingly called me her “son.” When they decided to move into the country in Bartow County from Roswell, I pitched in and helped them make the move. I purchased some of the items they no longer desired to keep, and today they are constant reminders of our friendship. I visited them several times through the years at their new home.
As I began working in television, my appearances on the local festival circuit declined as my music branched into other parts of the country in new and different types of venues. After the TV show was over, music still carried me in a different direction that did not keep us as close as we once were. I tried to keep in contact through fan club newsletters, little notes and Christmas cards, but it would never be the same as it once was. So as life changed, I didn’t get to see Dan, Betty, and so many others that were part of my extended family. To me, they are all still stopped in time at the last festival that we shared together. I still see the smiling faces that would come over them as I arrived and they welcomed me or the sincere desire to see me again as I left.
I always felt there would be another visit that we just never seemed to get to make. Sadly, so many have passed without me even knowing. As the years continue to roll by, the fondness for them and so many others in my heart remains within me. I wish I could sit down with them once more outside the motor home at the end of a busy bluegrass festival day and feel the peace roll over as the quiet overtakes the concert area as we laugh and joke about the events of the day. I can remember sitting there and hearing the first strains of a banjo playing somewhere in the distance. They knew that meant it would not be long until I would pull out my fiddle and trek off into the darkness looking for the sounds of music.
Betty would say, “Have fun. We’ll leave the door open for you.” I would go off and play a few hours and quietly tiptoe back in about 2 or 3 a.m. My bed would be made and waiting for me. Thank you, Dan and Betty, for being there for me, and to all those who welcomed me into their families and helped me become the man that I am today. Thank you to all those who shared a meal, a place to stay, words of advice, and a helping hand, for your gift to me helped to make me a better person. While our days are no longer shared, you are always in my heart. If someone you seldom see has made a difference in your life, I encourage you to tell them today.
Randall Franks is an award-winning musician, singer and actor. He is best known for his role as “Officer Randy Goode” on TV’s “In the Heat of the Night” now on WGN America. His latest CD release, “An Appalachian Musical Revival,” is by www.shareamericafoundation.org. He is a member of the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame. He is a syndicated columnist for http://randallfranks.com and can be reached at rfrankscatoosa@gmail.com.